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CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT of FORESTRYand FIRE PROTECTIONOFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICINSTALLATION GUIDELINE
(In partnership with interested local fire officials, building officials,and industry representatives)
April 22, 2008
 
 
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATION GUIDELINE
April 22, 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
ABOUT THE GUIDELINE............................................................................................................3GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS...............................3RESOURCES...............................................................................................................................5TASK FORCE PARTICIPANTS...................................................................................................5ADOPTING THE GUIDELINE......................................................................................................6
G
ENERAL
....................................................................................................................................................6L
OCAL
O
RDINANCE
R
EQUIRED BY
C
ITY
,
 
C
OUNTY
,
 
C
ITY AND
C
OUNTY
,
 
F
IRE
P
ROTECTION
D
ISTRICTS
..............6F
INDINGS AND
F
ILINGS
.................................................................................................................................7W
ORDING
....................................................................................................................................................7
1.0 MARKING..............................................................................................................................7
1.1
 
M
AIN
S
ERVICE
D
ISCONNECT
............................................................................................................71.1.1
 
M
ARKING
C
ONTENT AND
F
ORMAT
....................................................................................................81.2
 
M
ARKING FOR DIRECT CURRENT
(
DC
)
CONDUIT
,
RACEWAYS
,
ENCLOSURES
,
CABLE ASSEMBLIES
,
ANDJUNCTION BOXES
............................................................................................................................81.2.1
 
M
ARKING
C
ONTENT AND
F
ORMAT
....................................................................................................81.3
 
I
NVERTERS
.....................................................................................................................................9
2.0 ACCESS, PATHWAYS AND SMOKE VENTILATION..........................................................9
2.1
 
R
ESIDENTIAL
S
YSTEMS
 —S
INGLE AND
T
WO
-U
NIT
R
ESIDENTIAL
D
WELLINGS
.....................................92.1.1
 
A
CCESS
/P
ATHWAY
.......................................................................................................................102.1.2
 
S
MOKE
V
ENTILATION
....................................................................................................................10
 
2.2
 
C
OMMERCIAL
B
UILDINGS AND
R
ESIDENTIAL
H
OUSING COMPRISED OF THREE
(3)
ORMORE UNITS
..................................................................................................................................102.2.1
 
A
CCESS
........................................................................................................................................102.2.2
 
P
ATHWAYS
...................................................................................................................................112.2.3
 
S
MOKE
V
ENTILATION
....................................................................................................................11
3.0 LOCATION
 
OF
 
DIRECT
 
CURRENT
 
(DC)
 
CONDUCTORS.................................................114.0 NON-HABITABLE BUILDINGS..........................................................................................115.0 GROUND MOUNTED PHOTOVOLTIALTAIC....................................................................12EXAMPLE 1 – CROSS GABLE ROOF......................................................................................13EXAMPLE 2– CROSS GABLE WITH VALLEY .......................................................................13EXAMPLE 3– FULL GABLE.....................................................................................................14EXAMPLE 4– FULL HIP ROOF................................................................................................14EXAMPLE 5– LARGE COMMERCIAL 8’ WALKWAYS...........................................................15EXAMPLE 6– LARGE COMMERCIAL 4’ WALKWAYS...........................................................16EXAMPLE 7– SMALL COMMERCIAL 4’ WALKWAYS...........................................................17EXAMPLE 8– SMALL COMMERCIAL 8’ WALKWAYS...........................................................18
 
Draft PV Guideline, April 22, 2008
 
About the Guideline
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection - Office of the State FireMarshal (CAL FIRE-OSFM), local Fire Departments (FD), and the solar photovoltaicindustry have developed this guideline for installations to increase public safety for allstructures equipped with solar photovoltaic systems.This guideline was developed with safety as the principal objective. The solarphotovoltaic industry has been presented with certain limitations in roof installations dueto firefighting suppression techniques. The intent of this guideline is to provide the solarphotovoltaic industry with information that will aid in the designing, building, andinstallation of solar photovoltaic systems in a manner that should meet the objectives ofboth the solar photovoltaic industry and the Fire Service.The provisions of this guideline, if adopted by the local enforcing agency by localordinance, is meant to apply to the design, construction and installation of solarphotovoltaic systems on buildings regulated by Title 24 of the California BuildingStandards Codes.A solar contractor should always contact their local fire department to determine if themeans or methods to be used will allow for a safe installation that is acceptable to thefire department and meets local code requirements.
General Information about Solar Photovoltaic Systems
Solar photovoltaic systems generate electricity from the sun. As of September 2007,there are roughly 30,000 solar photovoltaic systems installed on homes, commercialbuildings and free- standing structures in California. Most systems are connected to theelectric grid and provide power to the site. The majority of these systems do not haveany battery backup equipment – instead, excess power is sent to the electric utilitysystem.Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are installed with an alternating current (AC)disconnect at the service panel. Conduit carrying direct current (DC) power connectsthe modules to the inverter. The inverter connects the PV system to the utility servicepanel. AC disconnects are not required in all jurisdictions because the main breakerprovides this level of disconnect.A DC disconnect is installed on the site side of the inverter. Typical systems seen todayhave an inverter located near the utility service panel. Some inverters (micro inverters,AC modules) are located at the PV module (the solar industry refers to PV panels as“modules”). If the inverter is located at the PV module, the conduit from the modules tothe utility power supply is AC. The DC disconnect at the service panel cuts power to theinverter, which is then unable to export power to the utility service panel and preventsany solar electricity from harming service or maintenance workers on the utility side of
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